View Single Post
Old 03-10-2008, 01:01 PM   #343 (permalink)
scolley
Planted Tank Guru
 
scolley's Avatar
 
PTrader: (11/100%)
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: connecticut
Posts: 3,210
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by BiscuitSlayer View Post
Have you checked your CO2 levels though all of this?
fair question. answer - yes.

I've got a hand held pH meter that I use to corroborate the readings of my in-tank meterA couple of weeks ago I did a 2-point calibration of the hand held, and then tested it against reference solutions. It reads pretty accurate, and it agrees (within a small tolerance) of the reading of the in-tank meter.

As for KH, that's a little fuzzier, though I do have a Lamotte test kit which provides very precise (accurate?) results. And I use a 2nd, LFS quality, test kit to corroborate the results of that Lamotte.

In short, when I factor in margin of error, it's possible that my CO2 is as low as 24 ppm. Or it could be as high as 39. I guess a slight boost would be ok. But I'm not one to crank CO2 as an algaecide. My minimum (worst case) should be enough to support healthy, well lit, fertilized plants.

Though a small boost wouldn't hurt. Thanks.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Buck View Post
Steve I noticed that you have a lot of root feeders like crypts,swords etc. with very few stems to absorb your fert's. I agree it could be the filter maturity issue but until it gets there you should consider floating/planting a bunch of hygro or something similar to starve the algae.
Swords and crypts wont to diddly to absolve these issues.
Good point Buck. Thanks. I've got some pretty big hunks of Taiwan moss - total volume of about the size of one and a half basketballs - that should be soaking up stuff from the water column. Something is soaking it up, because if I don't dose NPK, is drops pretty precipitously.

But I will look for a short term, fert soaking possibility. Thanks.
__________________
steve
You wanna know what I really think? You can see at www.wetplantlogic.com.

180g high tech, "generally" low maintenance, planted discus tank
scolley is offline   Reply With Quote